Light in the Darkness

by Susan Box, illustrator and designer of ‘conversation starters’

What does advent mean to you?

When my daughter was a toddler she loved nothing more than being bundled into the car on an advent evening. Once strapped in we’d drive around looking at local houses with their Christmas lights - or “sparkies” as she called them.

There she’d sit, all wrapped up warm in the back of the car, glued to the window for the merest glimmer of light to find joy in.

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light (Isaiah 9:2 NIV).

Ask most people what advent means to them and you’ll hear mention of chocolate shapes behind cardboard doors, ordering turkeys or rushing to get the last “must-have” toy.

But, as followers of Jesus, advent is a time of watching and waiting. It’s a season all of its own, and we’re missing out if we treat it as simply a stepping stone to Christmas Day.

In the centuries before Jesus’ birth, his people watched and waited for their promised Messiah. Whilst we stand as beneficiaries of his birth, death and resurrection, it doesn’t mean that we’ve outgrown watching and waiting.

Advent reminds us of this.

It reminds us that we wait in an imperfect world for all things to be made perfect. We wait for the full glory of God to be revealed, when all knees will bow before him and declare that He is Lord.

St Paul, writing to the Corinthians said “For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” (1 Corinthians 13:12 NIV).

The mirrors of St. Paul’s time weren’t like modern glass mirrors, they were polished pieces of metal. Poor reflectors of what you were hoping to see. But, as St. Paul reminds us, this is not how it will always be.

One day we shall see fully, one day we shall know fully.

One day there will be no more sickness.

One day there will be no more hunger.

One day there will be no more tears.

But for now we watch and wait, because the people walking in darkness have seen a great light.

So what does this mean for us today?

Well, the world says, “make it look good, brush your troubles under the carpet, pull out the best crockery and put on a show”. But a YouGov study in 2019 found that 26% of people said that Christmas actually had a negative impact on their mental health.

We can never do enough to earn our salvation, and we can never try hard enough to deserve Christmas.

But, thankfully, we don’t need to.

Jesus is the “God With Us” God. He came down and walked on earth. He’s seen what we’ve seen and he’s felt what we feel. He understands.

And He is our light in the darkness.

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light.

No matter how many lights we string up, or how many candles we burn, each of us has some darkness in our life.

Whether it’s sadness or struggle, anger or addiction, fear or frustration. Whether you’re weary or worried, lonely or lost, forgotten or in need of forgiveness. You are not alone, and we have hope.

So if you’re struggling this advent - look for the Light.

If you’re tired this advent - look for the Light.

If you’re anxious this advent - look for the Light.

If you’re hurting, or alone, or angry, or fearful, or heartbroken or just plain broken - look for the Light.

And here’s the great news - the darkness isn’t dark to God.

There’s no place in our hearts, and our lives, that we cannot invite Jesus into. There’s no space he can’t sanctify.

Our weakness. His strength.

Our brokenness. His healing.

Our defeat. His victory.

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show us that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” (2 Corinthians 4:7-9 NIV).

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light.

So this advent, no matter who you are, or what life is like, maybe it’s time to make a little more space to pause and look for the Light.

Maybe it means turning off the television, quietening down and tuning in to the loving voice of your Heavenly Father? Maybe it means making a conscious effort to lift up people and places who need the Light of the world? Or maybe it means intentionally practising the presence of God as you carry out your everyday tasks.

Acknowledge the darkness of our present world, and search for the one who is Light to it.

And my prayer is that, as you watch and wait this advent, just like my daughter all those years ago, you would find moments of joy as you see glimmers of the Light you’ve been hoping for.

Susan Box

Susan gets to have fun creating the Conversation Starter sheets for God for Kids each month. If you’d like to go a little deeper with your child this Christmas, Susan has also designed a downloadable set of advent bible study sheets for kids. These sheets are available to purchase here.

You also can also buy Susan’s Christmas cards and decorations here.

Susan is also available for illustration and design work with organisations and churches.